Collapsible table



' May 12, 1942- l c. H. MccAsLlN 2,282,665

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed March '9,u 1940 Patente'd May 12, 1942 UNITEDSTATE" orgiesY 11 Claims.

My invention relates-to improvements in a collapsible table, and itconsists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improvement over thecollapsible table shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 238,271,filed November 1, 1933. In the co-pending case, I show table legs havinga width coeXtensive with the width of the table and these legs are heldf against the end walls of the apron by a central bracing member.Cooperating means is used between the legs and the apron for removablysecuring the legs to the table top when the legs are held in spacedrelation by the bracing memrelative to the table top. A strut isprovided for .i

each leg and is removably connected thereto without the need of anyextraneous fastening means. The Vfreenends of the struts are removablysecured to the table ,top` by anchoring means hereinafter described. Thelegs are fashioned with u openings for receiving the struts when thetable The legs keep the struts within the compartment when thel table iscollapsed. n

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specication,and the novel features of the device will be particularlyy pointed outin the appended claims. Y

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part ofthis application, in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the table with the parts thereof incollapsed or nested position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the central partof the table when the latter is assembled and ready for use;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure l; and v Figure4 is an enlarged view of the left-hand central portion of Figure l. v Y

In carrying out my invention, I provide a table top indicated generallyat A and consisting of a top piece l and an apron 2 that extends aroundthe four sides of the'top. Legs B are shaped as shown in Figure l andare dimensiened to be received in a compartment A formed vby the top ,land the apron 2. The legs correspond substantially in length and widthwith the compartment A. The side edges 3 of the legs will substantiallyilt against the inner walls of the sides l of the apron, while the topsand bottom of the legs will rest against the inner walls 3 of the endsparts of the apron.

It Will be noted from the drawing that the ends 3 of the apron have pins5. projecting therefrom toward each other, and these pins areV slottedlengthwise as at vli in order that the pins may yield slightly duringthe placing of the legs B in the compartment A or when the legs areremoved therefrom. The legs have slots 1 and 8 formed in the upper andlower edges thereof, respectively. .These slots are located to registerwith the pins 5 when the legs are nested within the compartment A. Whenthe legs are inserted into the compartment A', the two projecting endsof the pins 5 will yield slightly due to the slotted portion 6 of thepins and the slotsw'l 'andr8 of the legs allow the latter to belnoved'into a position beneath the pins.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 4, it will be seen that the pins 5, intheir normal positions, are slightly wider than the widths of the slots1 and 8. The pins, therefore, will retain the legs B within thecompartment A', but will yield and allow the legs to be withdrawn whenthe table is to be assembled.

In assembling the table, the legs B. are removed from 'the compartment Aand are placed against the inner end walls 3' of the apron 2 in themanner shown in Figure 2. The pins 5 project looselyl through openings 9which are formed in the upper parts Vof the legs. Struts C, which arenormally housed in the compartment A when the .table is collapsed, areprovided for holding the legs in operative position as will be apparentby reference to Figure 2.

Each strut C is notched at lil in the upper or free end of the strut andtwo shoulders Il and I2 are fashioned in the lower end of the strut. Theshoulders Il and I2 are arranged on opposite sides of the strut. Thelegs B are disposed in spaced and parallel relation with respect to eachother when thev table is assembled, and the shoulders Il bear againstthe inner confronting surfaces of the legs B, while the shoulders' I2engage with the outer or opposing surfaces of the two legs. A neckportion I3 joins thetwo shoulders l l and I2 and the struts C passthrough openings I3'` in the legs when the struts are operativelyengaged with the legs.V

The upper or free ends of the struts C are 'removably secured to thetable top by anchoring means indicated generally at D. The anchorageincludes a block I4, which is disposed on the undersurface of the toppiece I and fastened thereto. This block is formed with two recesses Ifor receiving the upper ends of the struts C with a wedging action. Thecentral part of the block I4 is undercut at I6 (see Figure 2) forreceiving the corner portions I'I of the struts. The edges I8 of theblock recesses taper slightly from the outer edges of the recesses tothe bottoms thereof so that the upper ends of the struts C will becomewedged in the recesses I5 when the table is iitted together or fullyassembled.

Figure 1 shows the table collapsed with the legs and struts placed inthe compartment A'. The struts C are disposed on opposite sides of theblock I4 and the two legs B are placed over the struts. The pins 5yieldingly hold the legs in the position shown in Figure 1. In removinglthe legs B from the compartment A', the pins 5 will yield due to theslotted portions 6 o f the pins. The legs B are removed from the tablecompartment A' when the table is to be assembled-and are placed againstthe inner walls 3' of the end walls of the apron 2 in the mannerpreviously described. The pins 5 extend through the openings 9 in thelegs.

The struts C are now connected to the table legs by inserting the neckportions I3 through the openings I3 in the legs. The shoulders II and I2bear against the inner confronting surfaces of the two spaced legs andthe outer or opposing surfaces thereof, respectively. The upper ends ofthe struts C will be slightly out of alignment at this time with respectto theblock recesses I5. The struts C are forced in the direction of thearrows a in Figure 2 until the corners I'I of the struts will enter theundercut portions IB of the block I4 and the notches I Il register withthe outer edges I8 of the recesses I5. The struts C are thereupon forcedinto the recesses I5. The tapered edges I8 will hold the struts in placerelative to the block I4. In collapsing the table, the reverse steps arefollowed and the parts are stored 0r nested within the table compartmentA'. Y

In the event that the table legs should become bowed due to forcing thestruts in place, the legs may be turned around and the bow willgradually disappear.

While Ihave shown only one form of my table it should be clearlyunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the appended, claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim: l. In a collapsible table, a table top having legcontactingmembers, legs for supporting the top and bearing against the members,struts connected to the legs at points removed from where the legscontact with said members, said struts extending toward the table top,said struts being so connected to the legs as to swing the leg topstoward the members when the inner ends of the struts are'moved towardthe table ends, whereby the legs will be slightly bowed, and means forsecuring the inner ends of Vthe struts against movement for holding thelegs in a bowed condition.

2. A collapsible table comprising a table top 1 with an apron forproviding a compartment, legs receivable in the 'compartment when thetable is collapsed, said legs having recesses, and retaining memberscarried by the apron and arranged to register with the leg recesses, theretaining members being made to yield in response to pressure of thetable legs to allow passage of the table legs into the compartmentbeneath the retaining members, and to thereupon return to normal forholding the legs in the compartment.

3. In a collapsible table, a strut having legengaging shoulders formedin opposite sides of one end .thereof and a notch fashioned in the otherend of the strut, the side of the strut opposite the notch and at thesame end of the strut being wedge-shaped.

4. In a collapsible table, a table top having leg-contacting members,legs bearing against the members and having openings therein, strutshaving their ends extending through the openings and provided withshoulders bearing against both outer surfaces of the legs, the strutsextending at an angle to the legs and having their inner endsterminating at the table top, the shoulders on the struts being soarranged that a movement of the inner strut ends toward the legcontacting members, will force the leg tops against the members and bowthe legs, and means for securing the struts against movement when thelegs are slightly bowed.

5. A collapsible table comprising a top having leg-positioning members,legs having their upper ends bearing against the members, strutsremovably secured to the legs at points removed from where the legscontact with said members, each strut bearing against opposite sides ofthe leg and swinging the top of the leg against its member when the freeend of the strut is moved toward the leg to which it is connected,whereby the leg will be slightly bowed and will be held in contact withthe member by friction, and means for securing the struts in a positionwhere the legs will be held in a slightly bowed condition.

6. A collapsible table comprising a table top having leg positioningmembers, legs having slots therein, struts having neck portionsinsertable in the slots and shoulders for bearing against opposite sidesof the legs, and means for securing the ends ofthe struts disposedopposite to the necks to the table top in such a position as to urge theleg tops against the members and to bow the legs vto a degree suicientto hold the legs against the member by friction.

7. A collapsible table comprising a table top having leg-positioningmembers, legs for supporting the top and having slots therein, strutshaving ends insertible in the slots and provided with shoulders bearingagainst opposite surfaces of the legs, the opposite ends of the strutshaving notches therein, and means carried by the table top and beingengageable with the notches and the struts for holding the struts inposition, said means being so positioned as to cause the struts whenconnected thereto to bow the legs and move the leg tops against themembers for holding table top and being engageable with the notches andthe struts for holding the struts in position, and said means being sopositioned as to cause the struts when connected thereto to bow the legsand move the legs against the members for holding the table in rigidposition, the said means Lbeing made to removably engage with the upperends of the struts with a wedging action.

9. In a collapsible table, a table top with an apron, a leg having astrut-receiving slot therein, a 'strut passed through the slot andengaging with opposite sides of the leg, the top of the leg bearingagainst the apron, and means for securing the free end of the strut tothe table top and arranged for exing the leg and forcing the top of theleg against the apron While maintaining the leg in a bowed condition.

10. In a collapsible table, a table top, leg-positioning members, legs,struts secured thereto and having shoulders bearing against both legsurfaces, and wedge means connected to the free ends of the struts forconnecting them to the top and for bowing the legs for causing them tocon-y tact with the members.

11. In a collapsible table, a table top having an apron defining acompartment and also having portions acting as leg positioning members,legs for supporting the top and having openings and slots therein, pinscarried by the apron and receivable in the leg openings when the legsare in operative position and abut said apron portions, struts havingtheir ends engageable with the legs, cooperating means between thestruts and table top for frictionally holding the legs against theapron, said legs when disassembled being received in the compartment,said pins bearing against the walls of the slots for removably holdingthe legs in the compartment,

CLIFFORD H. MCCASLIN.

